In Spain (January-June). Corporal with Partido Obrero de Unificacion Marxista detachment of the Aragon front. Involved in street fighting in Barcelona between government and anarchist troops. Wounded in throat by sniper. Honorable discharge for medical reasons from P.O.U.M. militia. Evades arrest during anti-P.O.U.M. purge in Barcelona. The Road to Wigan Pier published (March)). Left Book Club edition of 40,000 copies

1938

In tuberculosis sanitorium, Kent. Homage to Catalonia published (April). Joins ILP (June). Goes to Morocco for his health (September)

1939

Returns to England (March). Coming Up for Air published (June). Death of father

1940

Inside the Whale published (March). Moves to London (May). Writes reviews for Time and Tide and Tribune. Joins Local Defense Volunteers (Home Guards)

1941

The Lion and the Unicorn published (February)

1941-1943

Talks Producer, Empire Department, BBC, in charge of broadcasting to India and Southeast Asia. Death of mother

War correspondent for The Observer in Paris and Cologne (March-May). Death of Eileen while under anesthetic for operation (March 29). Covers first post-war election campaign (June-July). Animal Farm published (August)

Enters Hairmyres Hospital, near Glasgow, with tuberculosis of the left lung (Christmas Eve)

1948

Returns from hospital to Jura (July). Completes revision of Nineteen Eighty-Four by December

1949

Enters Cotswolds Sanitorium, Cranham, Gloucestershire (January). Nineteen Eighty-Four published (June). Over 400,000 copies sold in first year. Transferred from Cranham to University College Hospital, London (September). Marries Sonia Bronwell, an editorial assistant with Horizon, in hospital (October)

1950

Dies suddenly in University College Hospital, of a hemorrhaged lung (January 21). Buried in the churchyard of All Saints, Sutton Courtney, Berkshire

N.B. The George Orwell Archive is located at University College, London and “is the most comprehensive body of research material relating to the author George Orwell (Eric Blair) (1903-1950) anywhere. Manuscripts, notebooks and personalia of George Orwell were presented in 1960 on permanent loan by his widow on behalf of the George Orwell Archive Trust, supplemented by donations and purchases. The aim of the Trustees of the Archive was to make a research centre for Orwell studies, by bringing together all [Orwell’s] printed works, including newspaper items; private correspondence; other private papers in the possession of his widow; printed matter other than his own which will help later generations to understand the controversies in which he was involved; and tape recordings or written statements by all with first hand experience of him of any consequence.” (site description was taken from the Archive home page)

[To learn more about 1984, follow the link above to Dr. Kreis’s History Guide.]

***

Dr. Steven Kreis is a professor of history and military studies at American Public University. The material above is reprinted here for educational purposes, with the permission of the author who retains copyright to this work. Many thanks to Dr. Steven Kreis for graciously granting us permission to reproduce this resource, which originally appeared on his History Guide website.

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